POLICIES
Located on 8th and Atlantic, at the heart of the oceanfront, Festival on 8th is the perfect venue for many types of events – wedding receptions, rehearsal dinners, military events, retirement and birthday parties, corporate retreats, holiday parties and other special occasions. Our newly renovated venue has a flexible event space that can be kept as one large room or divided into two spaces depending on your needs. Please speak with a Special Events Manager regarding capacity for specific events.
Room Rental Charges
Events at Festival on 8th require a room rental charge of $600. Events hosted on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays must conclude by 10:00pm. The room charge secures the space for 4 hours, but you may be billed for additional staff hours if your event does not start or conclude at the agreed upon time. The room charges does not contribute toward the cost of food or beverages, but covers general use of the room, tables, chairs, linens and dinnerware. We provide Ivory tablecloths & Sandalwood napkins for a seated dinner. Additional time can be reserved for $250/hour to extend the event, up to 2 additional hours. An additional hour can also be reserved for a wedding ceremony inside Festival on 8th or if inclement weather necessitates use of the venue for a wedding ceremony prior to a planned reception. To consider using Festival on 8th for a wedding ceremony, please speak with a Special Events Manager regarding feasibility. A dance floor is available to rent for a $375 fee and an 8' x 16' stage with stairs and skirting is available for $375. Following an event, additional cleaning fees will be charged if damages occur to the space.
Service Charges, Taxes, and Food & Beverage Minimums
All food and beverages will be charged food or liquor tax of 11.5% as well as a service fee of 20%. The minimum amount that must be spent on food and beverages varies by the day of the week and time of year; this is outlined in the tables below with an example of the amount of tax and service that would be applied on that minimum, as well as the “minimum expense” when factoring in the room charge. As the minimums are different during the month of December, a separate table follows to outline this specific information. All food and beverages paid by the host contribute to the minimum; while beverages purchased by guests though a cash bar do not contribute to the minimum.
Room Guarantee, Cancellation, Deposits & Payments
The room charge is a non-refundable fee required to reserve the date and space. Payment for the food invoice must be received a minimum of 14 days prior to the scheduled event, so a guaranteed guest count and a complete menu must be formed by this time. The bar invoice for an open bar will be billed after the event. You will be charged for the number of guests guaranteed, plus any additional guests who attend. Refunds cannot be given for guests who cancel after the 14-day guarantee. Once the room charge is paid, the minimums at the time of booking are locked in. Specific food and beverage prices are subject to change based on the current market prices at the time of your event.
Ceremony
An additional hour ($250) is required to plan a wedding ceremony inside Festival on 8th, or if inclement weather necessitates use of the venue for a wedding ceremony prior to a planned reception. Festival on 8th requires an additional hour and a $250 ceremony fee for seating up to 90 guests with an aisle. Event staff will remove the chairs and/or relocate the ceremony chairs for the reception. Ceremony set up is not required, as guests may also enjoy the ceremony from their guest tables for no additional charge. To consider using Festival on 8th for a wedding ceremony, please speak with a Special Events Manager regarding feasibility.
Food & Beverage Minimums
December Food & Beverage Minimums
Due to the COVID-19 restrictions and guidelines, food and beverage minimums are subject to change and an additional $200 staffing fee will apply to your event. Some menu items may be unavailable or modified to follow the guidelines. We reserve the right to cancel or postpone your event if service guidelines set by the state of Virginia change or if we deem it necessary based on the Virginia Department of Health recommendations.
Audio/Visual
Arrangements for your audio/visual requirements can be made with a Special Events Manager. Festival on 8th provides you with Spotify, a stereo auxiliary audio cord (should you want to bring your own iPod to play your music through our sound system*) and a podium. We also have a cordless microphone and an 80” Screen, Bluetooth projector and laptop available to show a slideshow or video for a usage charge of $100 (sound not available through the projector). Any equipment you wish to use must be approved in advance by a Special Events Manager, and we require all computer slideshows to be tested at least one week prior to your event by emailing the file to a Special Events Manager* (DropBox.com can be used to email large files). We do not allow outside computers to be used with our equipment.
*Festival on 8th is not a professional sound and/or video company and cannot be held liable for music or a slideshow/video that doesn’t function properly. We will try our best to solve any technical difficulties. We require all weddings at Festival on 8th to hire a professional DJ and/or Band for audio needs, as we do not allow the use of our sound equipment for weddings.
Decor
You are welcome to decorate the space for your event, but our staff cannot be responsible for setting up or cleaning up your decor or centerpieces. When decorating, the use of loose sand, confetti, confetti poppers, glitter, silly string, staples, tacks, nails, or tape is prohibited. All candles must be placed inside a vase or candleholder; open flames are not permitted. Festival on 8th cannot accept responsibility for items left on the premises, nor can we be responsible for carrying décor and/or gifts to your vehicle at the conclusion of the event, or guarding your gift table during the event. At the conclusion of your event, all décor and personal items must be cleaned up and removed within a half hour.
Additional Enhancements
Ivory chair covers may be rented for $3 per chair to add an elegant touch to the table settings, décor and overall look of the room.
To add an extra glow to your event and enhance the atmosphere of the space, LED uplights may be rented, based on availability. Six (6) uplights rent for $150; the fee includes set up and color selection.
Our Simple Booth Photobooth may be rented for $200, based on availability. Photos are emailed and/or texted to guests. Backdrop and props are not included. Please speak with the Special Events Manager for more information.
Mercury Glass vases may be rented for your table centerpieces and/or the fireplace mantel. The vases are grouped together by various heights in sets of 5 or 3 including candles and set up for up to 15 large round tables. The set of 5 vases rent for $15 per table and the set of 3 vases rent for $10 per table. The fireplace vases rent for $125 including candles and set up. Please ask a Special Events Manager for pictures of the sets and fireplace.
Parking
As an event venue in a resort city, parking is limited, especially during summer months and on special event weekends. Parking is not guaranteed for any event. Parking can be found on 8th Street and in the parking lot behind The Shack, based on availability. This parking is privately managed and guests may pay with cash or credit by utilizing the meter at the entrance to 8th Street. In the occasion the spaces fill up, guests may find additional parking directly next door at the 9th Street Municipal Parking Garage, which is managed by the City of Virginia Beach.
Photography & Advertising Release
The Special Events Manager(s) may photograph the room and the décor before and/or during the event, for professional use for advertising material including print, electronic and social media. Your photographer and/or videographer may share their footage with us as well, for our promotional purposes. Please inform us if you do not wish to have your event design documented by us, or images from your event shared on our media platforms.
Cocktail Hour Outside at The Shack
You may reserve part of the Back Shack area (up to 150 guests) for your cocktail hour if the space is available and weather permits. If your cocktail hour is within the 4-hour time frame allotted when renting Festival on 8th, then the outdoor cocktail hour fee is $250. If you want your cocktail hour to be in addition to the 4-hour time frame, then you will rent the outdoor space for $250 and pay an additional $250 for the extra one-hour, totaling $500 for an outdoor cocktail hour. All hors d’oeuvres during your outdoor cocktail hour must be butler-style passed items only. Guests may purchase drinks outside at the main Shack bar or if the host is offering an open bar, then the bar inside Festival on 8th will be open for guests to order drinks and bring them outside to your reserved space. In the event of inclement weather, the cocktail hour will shift inside Festival on 8th. Please inquire with a Special Events Manager for more details.
Miscellaneous Information
We are happy to give referrals for photographers, disc jockeys, bakeries, florists, lodging and other related vendors. All outside vendors must be approved by a Special Events Manager. Festival on 8th provides referrals for customer convenience, but cannot accept responsibility for vendor service. When making dessert selections, commercial bakery desserts (cakes or cupcakes) are permitted, and we provide the caking service at no additional charge. Homemade desserts of any sort, including cookies, are not permitted.
If you are booking a wedding reception with us, we recommend choosing one person with whom we can collaborate on the day of your event, so that we do not have to bother you with minor questions. We are not suggesting you hire a wedding planner, but that you simply ask someone you trust to help. This person should be familiar with what you want and can ensure that we are following through with any special requests. Please understand that as a special events venue, we wish to provide you with a great space for a reception as well as a wonderful meal. However, we are not in the business of full-service wedding planning or coordinating.
As an ABC Licensed establishment, outside alcohol is strictly prohibited and Chix Seaside Grille provides all of the alcohol for your event. If alcohol is given as a gift or brought in as a favor, then the alcohol must remain unopened until it is off the premises. We reserve the right to dispose of any outside alcohol, stop serving any intoxicated guests, discreetly escort guests off of our property or if ultimately necessary, end the event immediately if we do not receive full cooperation from the host and guests.